Initially picked as a midfielder with Melbourne's first selection in the 2013 Draft, Salem was eased into his rookie season as the starting substitute in five of his 12 matches for the year. He showed promise at times, and the highlight of his rookie year was kicking the winning goal in the Round 13 match against Essendon with 19 seconds left in the game.

His conversion into a running defender into 2015 was proving successful when a serious hamstring injury suffered in Round 7 derailed his season, and he didn't return to the senior side until Round 21. He continued playing as a defender in 2016 but suffered issues with a thyroid illness and was restricted to eight games.

He had a more productive year in 2017, playing 16 games but also falling victim to a mid-season suspension and form issues late in the year. He recovered to play 24 of 25 games in 2018 as a vital part of the Melbourne defence.